Life, Happiness and the Dark Passenger
by Shrike176
Summary: Like many of you, I was unhappy with the way Lumen left at the end of season 5. My view is, after everything they went through, they can't be done with each other that easily. Dexter/Lumen
1. Chapter 1

**Standard disclaimer, I don't own the rights to anything, this is done for entertainment not profit.**

Prologue

For so long, when I slept, all of me slept. I used to enjoy that, the darkness, the quiet, not feeling the need to kill. Then one day I began to dream, while it wasn't a common occurrence for me, I went to bed each night wondering if I would dream, what it would be about (usually dead bodies were involved). Now, I lay awake at 3:00 am, exhausted and fully aware I will have to get out of bed soon, make breakfast for my children, and wait for Sonja to come and take care of them while I'm at work. It's hard to go without sleep, I used to hate being tired, now the only thing worse than being tired is the thought of having the same dreams I've had for the twenty two days since Lumen left me.

Every night, she's here with me. Sometimes it's raining, sometimes it's the middle of the night, sometimes it's like she never left at all. But each time, I walk into the bedroom, see here there, naked beneath the bed sheet. She smiles at me, motions for me to join her. I lean in for a long slow kiss, our tongues caressing each other. I drink in her scent, kiss every inch of her naked body as her hands move about mine. When we make love, it's slow and wonderful and seems to last forever. When we're finished, she tells me she loves me, that we'll always be together.

Then I wake up. For just a moment, I reach my hand over to the other side of the bed, and I truly expect her to be there. Then I feel the emptiness and I remember, Lumen's not here, she left me because now that she's better she can't be with someone like me. My father left me, my wife's dead because of me, and now the only other person who knew and accepted the real me has left too. I wonder if this is what all those songs about heart break were based on. No wonder musicians are so messed up.

I get up and grab a glass of water, trying to think of anything else.

"You remember what happened the last time you went without sleep for this long Dex?" Harry asks, a mixture concern and reproach in his voice.

"Well, since I'm not killing anyone at the moment, or driving body parts around at night, not much chance of history repeating itself," I reply.

"Even so, you can't keep this up, it's not good for you and it's not helping you put your life back together." Harry, always trying to keep me focused.

I remind myself I haven't found a new playmate yet because I'm trying to give Astor and Cody more time during the summer. Astor was right, before Rita died I hadn't been around much. In retrospect, I can't blame her for not trusting that I would stick around for her and Cody now that Rita was gone. I can't blame her for leaving me before I had the chance to leave her. Maybe helping Lumen didn't make up for what happened to Rita, but I know she'd want me to take care of our family. Maybe if I can show Astor that I really am here to stay, we can be a family for more than just the summer.

This comforts me as I go back to bed.

**A/N: I know this is a bit short, Chapter 1 will be up in a few days. Comments, reviews and constructive criticism are all appreciated. If you liked it, tell me what you liked or let others know. If you didn't like it, tell me what you didn't like. If you're not feeling much, please leave a review and be emphatic about your ambivalence.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Standard disclaimer, I don't own the rights to anything, this is done for entertainment not profit.**

Chapter 1: A New Project

I get into work a few minutes late, no one notices, and if they did I'd just say the babysitter was a little late. It sounds better than I noticed a blond woman while I was driving into work and had to stop the car and stare at her for fifteen minutes, because she looked so much like Lumen. These days, my coworkers are so busy they barely have time to remember I'm around. Vince is out chasing women with even more zeal than usual, LaGuerta and Angel are still celebrating the end of their first serious fight and Deb's so happy that I've accepted her dating Quinn that she's not even trying to make the three of us spend more time together. It's like the world has moved on and I'm just a ghostly reminder of a time when everyone was angry and hurt and alone. As such, they mostly ignore me these days, I remember a time when being ignored was perfectly fine for me, isolation seemed like the most natural thing in the world to me. Before I had a taste of what it was like to truly share my life with someone.

"Dex" Deb's voice breaks me daydreaming. "We got a call, someone just reported a new crime scene, extra bloody." Deb says, sensing my mood and hoping this will brighten my spirits. My sister the thoughtful one.

XXX

I arrive a the crime scene expecting to see some unfortunate human I've never met who has been stabbed to death (Deb said it was bloody), I step out of my car into a park ready to do my thing. Just put one foot in front of the other, and I'll be in the nice, comforting, familiar land of yellow tape cordoning off the body of some poor innocent person, just another day.

I stop in shock. To be fair, I've never _met_ this person, to me she's just the blond girl who distracted me on my way to work. Except now, she's still, her body at he bottom of a ditch, bleeding from a huge cross shaped gash carved into her now bare chest.

"Ritualistic murder, ligature marks around the neck and blood pooling indicate the victim was strangled before the cut was made." I say calmly.

"Maybe another serial killer, some kind of religious nut?" Deb asks.

Great, a serial killer who thinks he's taking his orders from God. _That's _original.

"No way of knowing unless another body pops up, I'm thinking Deb and I should canvass the neighborhood, try to figure out who did this before they get another chance." Angel replies.

I was preparing to leave in a few minutes, their wasn't much I could do here, and I did have paperwork to catch up on; when Angel makes me think of a case from a few years ago, _what if he's already done this before?_

"Since the cuts were made after she was killed, blood spatter isn't going to give us any info right now. So, I think I'll head back to the lab and catch up on some paperwork." I say as I start to leave, no one tries to stop me.

The minute I get back to the lab, I pull up the case file I'd been thinking of. Marla Stevens, blond woman, same age as the current victim, strangled two years ago, her body laid out in the shape of a cross. The suspect, Matt Connell, a divinity student, released due to lack of evidence, later sent to prison for 2-5 years for assaulting his then girlfriend with a hunting knife two weeks later. According to his file, released last week, and living three blocks from the park the victim was found in. A bit of a long shot, but still worth checking out.

"What about the kids Dexter? I thought you wanted this summer to be about spending time with them?" Harry asks, standing over me.

"I'll just check on this tonight after they go to sleep. If I'm wrong I'll drop it. If I'm right, well, Deb has wanted to spend more time with them this summer."I smile.

"This victim wasn't Lumen, Dexter, if you're just doing this because the dead girl reminds you of her, you're going to come out of this disappointed no matter what happens." Harry says.

"I know Lumen's gone. I just need a project to keep me occupied, remind me who I am, maybe then the dreams will stop." I reply.

I step out of the lab hoping I'm right about all of that.

**A/N: Hi all, thanks for the reviews, adding my story to your update lists and adding me to your favorites. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Standard disclaimer, I don't own the rights to anything, this is done for entertainment not profit.**

Chapter 2: According to Plan

It's just after midnight when I break into Matt Connell's apartment. I try to tell myself it's just recon, if I want I can just give my theory to Deb and let her make the case against him.

_Yeah, and I can also keep a snowball from melting in the middle of a Miami summer_.

It doesn't take long, his hunting knife is hidden under a shelf in his kitchen cabinet, blood still on it. I take a swab for analysis, if it's the girl from yesterday, I'll have a new playmate this weekend. Tomorrow's Friday, it would be a tight setup if I didn't know Matt spends pretty much all night every night at a dive bar on the edge of town, I just need a few hours Saturday afternoon to set things up.

XXX

Friday morning, the blood matches, now onto phase two.

"Deb" I catch up to my sister as she's coming into work. "I was thinking, maybe you should spend tomorrow with the kids." She looks surprised at first, then smiles.

"Sounds like fun, you've been keeping them all to yourself this summer, I was starting to wonder if they were going to get any time with me," she says.

"Yeah, then those maternal instincts of yours would be wasted, and you'd be left all unfulfilled." Quinn interrupts with a chuckle.

Deb glares at him, looking ready to tear into her boyfriend. I smile, letting my darkness slip out just a little.

"Hey Quinn, if you're not doing anything, why don't you give Deb a hand with the kids?" I say.

Quinn's eyes widen in horror, he reminds me of my victims in their last moments. While I'm not a fan of Quinn, I've sen he's pretty good with kids; and I can tell this proposition really gets into his commitment fear.

Deb seems to catch on as she smiles at him. "What a great idea Dex. How about it Quinn? You, me and a little family bonding time?" If anything, he seems even more frightened after hearing her say it.

"Y-yeah... sure, I mean that sounds great. Kids love me." Quinn stutters out.

"I guess it's settled then. You guys can spend the day together, I'll be back sometime in the evening. If anything happens, just give me a call." I walk away with a smile on my face.

XXX

As I get ready to leave Saturday, I find myself glancing nervously at Cody and Astor; I wonder if going out will upset Astor, if I'll be saying goodbye to them all over again because of this.

"Hey Astor, I know we said you'd spend the day with Deb, but if you'd rather we do something as a family-"

"Dexter" she interrupts "it's ok, you've been home early every night, we do stuff as a family every weekend; it's been a lot of fun being a family again this summer. But it's ok if you want to go out sometimes. Besides, I like Deb, she's fun."

It hits me how much like her mother she is at this moment. I think back to all the times Rita told me to go out and have fun while we were together. I miss Rita.

"Yeah, Deb's fun. You think she'll put on the siren when we head to the beach?" Cody asks hopefully.

"I don't know, trying asking her after I leave." I smile

I say a quick hello to Deb and Quinn before heading out, my mind racing at the thought of a fresh kill. First set up the kill room, then get to Matt's favorite bar and wait for him to leave.

XXX

As I sit in my car outside the bar Matt Connell frequents, I wonder what the appeal is of sitting in the worst neighborhood in Miami getting drunk off cheap beer in the filthiest looking bar I have ever seen in my life.

Really, the only good thing about this place is its lack of night traffic and the large number of abandoned buildings, one of which now contains a perfectly sterile room wrapped in plastic.

Matt staggers out of the bar, down the dark alley that takes him straight home, towards my car. Walking past my car without a glance.

I step out of the car and start walking, he barely takes not of me, until I'm right behind him stocking my needle in his neck. From then on, it's so routine I'm almost on autopilot.

Put him in my trunk, drive to the building with my kill room, take him out of the trunk, put him over my shoulder like I'm taking a drunk friend back home.

Next thing I know, I'm standing over him in his plastic cocoon, knives ready, pictures of his victims to the right. I get a little impatient waiting for the drugs to wear off.

"Wake up!" I shout as I slap him across the face.

"Huh? Wha- What's going on?" He asks as he finds he can't move.

I smile and motion towards the pictures of women he killed, I let him work it out.

"What the fuck! Who the fuck are you?" He demands angrily.

"Interesting language for a Divinities major, but this isn't a very abstract situation. You killed two of those women and tried to kill the third. This is the end of the line for you, last call so to speak. Though I'm not a religious man, if you'd like to make some kind of confession; maybe tell me where you're thing with crosses came from, feel free.

"Fucking bitches ain't got no religion, gotta beat it into them, cut it into them. Now let me fucking out!" He screams as I cut his cheek, taking my trophy.

I smile happily, "Well, that settles that, you can go in a minute, just one last thing." In a flash my blade goes through his heart.

I stand for a moment, my head is swimming, the kind of release I only feel when I kill. The calm washes over me, no pain, no loneliness, no guilt; just me and the blood.

Then it all shatters.

I hear the sound of footsteps outside my kill room. I know the building is empty, the door outside was locked. My mind races; has someone been following me? Some cop realize what I am? Could Deb have followed me here? I can feel I'm being watched, someone's right behind me.

I turn slowly, knife in hand, half expecting a bullet through my head.

Everything stops. I can't move a muscle. Can't think straight. Can't hear anything but the frantic beating of my own heart. As the last breath rushes out of me I say the only words my mind can form.

"Lumen."

**A/N: One of my favorite scenes in Dexter's relationship with Lumen was after a kill, when Dexter explained why he is the way he is. As such, I can't think of a better moment than this for her to come back into his life. Though I'm interested in hearing anyone else's thoughts on the subject.**

**Reviews are welcome!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Standard disclaimer, I don't own the rights to anything, this is done for entertainment not profit.**

Chapter 3: Even the Best Laid Plans

So many questions race through my mind, I try to breath, try to focus on making my mouth work.

"Wha..." I try in vain to get a sentence out.

In a moment she clears the distance between, wraps one hand around my head and pulls my lips to hers.

It's not like any of my dreams, no slow gentle pace to our movement. This time we're both frantic.

She pushes me against the table and kisses me again, I never want her to stop. I suddenly become aware of every nerve and muscle in my body. The knife drops out of my hand onto the floor.

She tears the plastic apron off me, the starts on my shirt. I tear the buttons off her blouse. In a moment, everything we've worn is in a heap on the floor, soaking in blood.

She seems to realize doing this on the table isn't an option, unless we stop to cut Matt free of the plastic and move his body. Dead people are so inconsiderate of the needs of others.

She pushes me against the wall with the victims pictures on it. I grab her legs and wrap them around my waist. Our hands and mouths are constantly moving, trying to touch every inch of each others bodies at once.

I only slow down when I touch her scars, gently stroking the places those men hurt her.

She takes her lips of my neck so she can look into my eyes, I can see the desire there, the hunger. And just for a moment, I can see myself reflected in those eyes. I can't believe I never dreamed of this.

The moment passes and we continue to explore each others bodies. She digs her nails into my back as we climax, screaming each others names.

We finish the cleanup together, I'm almost on autopilot. She removes the plastic and cleans as I dismember the body and package it up in plastic. As much as I want to start asking questions, I'd rather do it in the car driving to my boat than sitting here with a dead body displayed for anyone to stumble upon.

As we get in the car, the silence suddenly becomes uncomfortable. "How long have you been back?"

"Three days, I was going to try and talk to you after work yesterday, but I saw you going to that guys apartment. Then today I saw you setting up plastic and I knew you'd be back here eventually. I'm sorry." She says.

Sorry? Does she mean for leaving? For coming back? For walking in on me like that? My head is spinning, I try to stay in control. "Sorry for what?"

"For leaving, for hurting you like that after everything you did for me. I was telling you the truth when I said I never thought I'd live to see the end things, that I'd die before I killed them all. After I didn't, I thought I could just walk away, pretend it never happened and have the normal life I ran away from. I realized I couldn't, that the darkness wasn't gone. All I could think of was getting back to you. I was scared you had let me go, that you wouldn't want me back. But I had to at least try, I couldn't stay away any longer." She says it all so quickly, like she can't stop. It might be the sweetest thing I've ever heard.

"I missed you to." I say quickly. "I couldn't stop thinking about you after you left. I tried to keep busy with the kids, make up for everything that's happened. Then I tried to focus on a new project, but even then I kept imagining you with me. I'm glad you're back. Sorry things didn't work out with your family." I do my best to stay calm even though I have the sudden urge to grab her and hold her, make sure that she's really here with me.

"I tried to make things work with my family. It was easy at first, they were glad to see me again. Then they started asking questions I couldn't answer, where I'd been, who I was with... apparently Owen told them I was seeing someone. Then a week ago my mom walked in on me as I was getting out of the shower, saw the scars. When she finally stopped screaming, she kept demanding to know who did this to me. When Dad got home they started saying I needed to file a police report, that they wouldn't just let whoever did this get away with it." She smiles for a second, I smile back. "When they said that I actually laughed, couldn't help it. I think they wanted to have me committed. I finally convinced them that I was going back to Miami to file a report. I knew I couldn't stay after that. It just wasn't home anymore." She finishes.

I park in the lot, still so many questions I want to ask her. Unfortunately, she beats me to it.

"Dexter, there are a lot of questions I wanted to ask you after I left, I realized we never really got to know each other, I mean like normal people. I guess, I never had to do that with Owen since we knew each other forever. But after I left, I kept thinking of you; at first it was what you were doing, if you were moving on without me. But then I realized their was so much I didn't know, so much I wanted to know. Is that ok?" She asks, afraid to pry.

I barely hear her after she tells me she's been thinking about me all this time, that she missed me like I missed her. "You can ask me anything."

"You told me about your mom, how doing this was the only way for you to feel, not broken. But how did you start on the whole code thing? And how did you keep what you are hidden all this time? I mean, I had trouble keeping all this from my parents, how did you manage it as a kid? Especially with a sister in the police force." She asks.

I wonder if this is how most guys feel when girlfriends want to know about their lives. I'm sure I've had women ask me about myself, it just never occurred to me to answer honestly. I guess I'll have to start at the beginning. "Mom died when I was very little. I was adopted by a cop named Harry Morgan, you're right, I couldn't hide what I was back then. He found out I'd been killing animals. At first, he tried to get me to stop, took me on hunting trips, tried to teach me how to look normal for everyone else. When he figured out I wasn't going to get better, he told me their were a lot of bad people out there, and the cops couldn't stop them all. He said some people deserved to die As a cop, it always hit him hard when a killer got away on a technicality or because their wasn't enough evidence. For most of my life, I thought he helped me because he loved me, that he accepted me for who I am."

The story of my life in a nutshell, it's actually kind of nice telling someone this stuff. I hope it answers her questions.

"What do you mean you thought that was why, why did he help you?" She asks.

"He was having an affair with my mother, she was one of his informants. When he died, I used to think his heart finally gave out. A few years ago, I found out he committed suicide, used his heart medication. A friend of his falsified the coroner's report so Deb and I wouldn't find out... he saw me in my kill room, chopping up a body. He taught me everything about how to get away with murder, but he never saw me actually do it. When he walked in, I showed him the body, I thought he'd be proud of me, happy I killed someone that got away with murder. He was disgusted; couldn't live with the reality of what I was. He was the only person who ever really saw me, and it killed him. I killed him." I was never this honest with anyone, I feel better and worse at the same time.

Lumen grabs my hand, she looks like she's going to cry. "That's not fair Dexter. I've seen the way you are with Harrison, with your other kids, with me. You could have left me where you found me, or let me go to jail instead of teaching me. Your father may have taught you a lot of things, but he never taught you that. There's more to you than you give yourself credit for. I'm so sorry you had to go through that, sorry I left you the way I did."

I hug her, needing contact in a way I've never needed it before. Her scent is intoxicating, and while I want so badly to have a repeat of the way we greeted each other over my kill, I realize we're in a semipublic place, and there's no sense in getting arrested for public indecency, especially with a dead body in the trunk.

Right, gotta keep things on track. First we dump the body, then figure out where we go from here.

**A/N: Well, things are moving along for Dexter and Lumen. Coming up, Dexter has to explain to Deb that Lumen's back in his life.**

**Review are welcome!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Standard disclaimer, I don't own the rights to anything, this is done for entertainment not profit.**

Chapter 4: Awkward Conversations and Questions

Sitting on my boat, with Lumen, watching the night sky as we return from the dump site. It reminds me so much of my last night with her, the two of us coming home after we killed Jordan.

I never want it to end. But I know I have to start talking, start figuring out how we're going to do this, I realize there's so much about her life I don't know. "Lumen I-"

BEEP BEEP BEEP

I curse silently as I answer my cellphone. "Hi Deb. Yes, I know it's almost late. Yes, I'm on the boat and I'll be back soon. Sorry, time kind of got away from me. Well, if the kids need to get to sleep fine. I'll be home soon. Bye."

I look at Lumen apologetically, not sure how to say what I want to say. Trying to explain that all I want is for us to go home together, but I need to find a way to tell the kids she's back first.

She breaks the silence. "It's ok, I get you need to go home. I'm staying at the Hyattt, room 235. Call me tomorrow morning." She looks into my eyes, willing me to believe her. "I'm not going anywhere, call me tomorrow and we'll find a time to talk."

I wonder how she can afford a hotel like that, I don't even know what she does for a living.

As she gets off the boat I try to think of something to say, some way to tell her how happy I am that she's back. I can't think of anything to say. All I can do is lean in and kiss her, hoping she understands what I can't find the words to say.

XXX

I arrive home soon after. I know Astor and Cody are probably asleep by now, I feel a little bad for making Deb stick around this late. I open the door ready to apologize when I see Deb and Quinn making out on the couch.

Suddenly, I don't feel bad anymore.

"Dex, we were just, I mean we weren't... I mean, the kids are asleep in the other room." Quinn says, apparently feeling even more uncomfortable than I do.

"It's fine, did you have a good time today?"

"Sure, just as soon as we got out the defibrillator and Quinn's heart started beating again we had a good time." Deb smiles at Quinn, I look confused.

"Cody asked if Quinn was going to be his new uncle, though from the look on Astor's face, I get the impression she put him up to it." Deb and I both laugh.

"Ok Dex, it's late and we need to get going, take care bro." I wave as they leave.

I have so much going through my head, but I need to get some sleep. I take my shirt off and get ready for bed. Just as my sister comes back in.

"Hey Dex, I forgot my... What the fuck happened to you back." I want to yell at her for not knocking, but that won't get me out of an answer.

"I, uh, got jumped," I try weakly.

Deb snorts. "By what, a puma? And if you got jumped, why didn't you call the police, or tell me when I called you? Bro, you are the worst liar."

I smile as I put my shirt back on. "Alright, you got me, I picked up some girl at a bar, we went back to her place, guess it got a little rough. Just a one night stand thing." I assume this will put her off the trail.

"Bullshit, you've never done a one night stand in your life. If you hooked up with someone, its more than a one time thing. Come on Dex, I want details." She smiles.

I try to think of some lie, try to remember the name of some old girlfriend I can say I ran into...if only I bothered to remember the names of my old girlfriends after we broke up.

"Lumen" I try the truth for once.

Deb's eyes go wide, for a second I think she wants to hit me. She motions for me to come outside with her. I can only assume she doesn't want to yell at me inside and risk waking the kids.

"Are you crazy Dex! You finally start making progress with those kids and you want to throw it all away? She's a flake Dex, she bailed on you, just like she bailed on her fiancé and her family. But you think it won't happen now, that she's going to stay and be a mother to three kids? What are you going to tell Astor when she disappears next time?" She says in a voice that is quiet enough not to wake the neighbors, but conveys her anger just as well.

I start to defend Lumen, but I realize she has a point. Telling Deb Lumen won't leave will be tough if I can't mention how we're connected, maybe if-

Wait a minute. I never told Deb any of that stuff about Lumen and her fiancé. Has she-

"Have you been spying on me!" I say louder than I intend.

"Yeah, um, it wasn't really like that. I just did a background check on her, I mean I knew she was more than just a tenant; and I was just worried about how fast you were moving with her, letting her live in your house already." She looks down, embarrassed.

"Jesus Deb, first Quinn and now YOU! You're a bad influence on each other!" I say it without thinking.

"That's not fair Dex! I was spying because I was WORRIED about you, I didn't want you to get hurt. And come on, after all the freaks we've let into our lives, don't you think I had a reason to be worried." She says.

I want to yell, but I get the sense that would do more harm than good. I take a breath and let as as much of the truth as I can. "Look Deb, it was hard for me to keep going after Rita died. Then the kids leaving, I felt lost. I'm not going into details, seems like you know a lot already, but Lumen was going through a tough time too. I wanted to help her through it. I know it's a risk letting her back into my life, but I really feel something for her, I think it can be different this time. Can you try to understand that?"

She nods, apparently glad I wasn't angrier about the spying thing. "I guess after the way you've been about me and Quinn, I should at least give you and Lumen a shot. But fair warning, if she hurts you or those kids I will hunt her down for it." She says, but I can tell she's kidding.

"I'll be sure to pass that along." I smile.

"At least you know she's not after you for your money." She chuckles.

I just stare at her for a moment wondering how she knows that.

"Common... seriously Dex? Bro, I'm glad I called you all that 'she's just my tenant' stuff. Even a new landlord knows to at least ask a tenant what they do for a living?" She says, laughing at my confusion.

"You want to explain that to me?"

"Dexter, you're girlfriend's a commodities trader, thanks to some money her family invested with her after college, well, she's not exactly making enough to retire right now, but she makes more in a year than both of us.. combined." She finishes, her face says I look as floored by this as I feel.

"Well, that's... interesting." Money was never a big when we were together. I thought that was because all the money in the world wouldn't buy her the justice she wanted. I guess money hasn't mattered much to her in a while, maybe ever.

"Dex, that little omission aside, it sounds like this girls been good for you. I can't remember you ever being this open before. Sorry I was so upset when you told me. If she makes you like this all the time, I say go for it. I've gotta go, but let me know what happens." She hugs me and turns to leave.

"Oh, and Dexter? Be careful where you take your shirt off from now on, you'll have a tough time explaining the scratches to Astor and Cody." She laughs.

I groan. My sister, always has to make that last comment.

**A/N: I always thought it was odd the way we never found out what Lumen did for a living. I mean, she was getting married, but she seemed old enough to have completed her education, and I never got the impression she was just living at home waiting to be married off. At the same time, she never seemed concerned about money, this is my theory on why.**

**Any thoughts on the subject are welcome. As are any other reviews!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed and added me to your favorites or story alerts. As always, write a review, get a response.**

Chapter 5: New Beginnings

I walk into the Miami Hyatt, heading to the restaurant where Lumen asked me to meet her. I think of my experiences with five star hotels, usually I'm just in a place like this to stalk and/or kill that rare financially well off killer. Luxury was never really my thing. I feel out of place.

I see Lumen and go to sit down. "Hi."

"Hi."

I wonder what I should say at a time like this. "Nice place you've got here." I try to smile calmly.

"Yeah... like I said, it's weird to have this conversation with a new boyfriend. I never really talked about money with people. And when we met it just didn't seem to matter. Does it matter?" She asks.

Boyfriend? My head spins a little. I try for honesty again. "No, money never mattered to me. I mean, I know it's important, but I have enough and it's not like I have expensive tastes or anything..." I realize I'm babbling. I stop and wait for her.

"I get that, I guess now we kind of have the same tastes. What we want isn't really something you can buy. I wake up in a five star hotel and all I can think of is how I preferred it in your apartment that first time we had sex.." She smiles conspiratorially.

"At least not outside of some very bad neighborhoods. Besides, if you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself."

We both laugh.

"Dexter, look, I know it's going to be complicated. I know you have the kids now. But I want to try again, last night showed me we still have a spark, that we're still alike. Maybe we can start off slowly? Give Astor and Cody a chance to get used to everything?"

"I'd like that. If it were just us and Harrison, I'd ask you to move back in, but we need to give the kids a chance to adjust. I lost them once, I don't want to lose them again."

"That works for me.. although, we do have some free time now. If Sonja has the kids right now, you free to come upstairs with me for a while?" She smiles.

I smile back. "Sounds like a plan."

The next thing I know we're back in her room. I find that with Lumen, no matter where we are, the sex is always phenomenal. Not as much frantic scratching as the last time, but just as incredible. When we finish, she falls asleep, her arms wrapped around me. I must have nodded off myself, because the next time I open my eyes she's out of bed and the shower is running.

I look around, other than her luggage, not much to see in her room. I decide to open her laptop and check my email. The page her browser is open to is a news article about a man who was released from a local prison after three years. Apparently sent away on stalking and assault charges when his girlfriend filed a complaint, though he was suspected to have murdered his ex-wife six months earlier.

I smile, apparently she's been indulging in our hobby since she arrived. From the other sites she's hit, it looks like she's only been doing recon so far. I think of stalking this guy with Lumen, killing him with her.

Might make for a fun date night.

I think of all the things we'll have to face; explaining our being together to the kids, finding a way to make our lives fit together, working things out with Deb, getting Sonja to stay late with the kids when we're.. out late. But somehow, I don't care.

I know I can make this work as long as she's here with me.

Once, I dreamed of a quiet life in the suburbs. Free of my darkness. Now I dream of a life spent the way I have always spent it. Half in light, half in darkness. Only this time I won't be alone in either.

I can see us together, celebrating birthdays and graduations, going on double dates with Rita and Quinn, killing people. I smile, imagining all the ordinary events of my life somehow made special by that special someone.

She comes out of the shower, no towel. She sees the laptop open to her next victim.

She smiles.

I smile back.

THE END

**A/N: I know I could have gone a lot further with this, but I honestly just wanted to do a story that involved Lumen and Dexter getting the happily ever after I felt they deserved. I have considered doing a sequel to this, following Dexter and Lumen's adventures as a couple. However, I am going to be extraordinarily busy the next few months. If any of you think this is a good start for another story, feel free to let me know.**


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